


A stop in Riverside

by Sera_F (TorehZhark)



Series: The Seraph and the Sentinel [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, OC, Slice of Life, cute af, homey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:08:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27842737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TorehZhark/pseuds/Sera_F
Summary: Toreh and Caides quietly visit an acquaintance in the town of Riverside, enjoying some warmth and hospitality before delving into a rumor.
Series: The Seraph and the Sentinel [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037721





	A stop in Riverside

**Author's Note:**

> The end notes contain spoiler (in case I continue/revise this)

A cheerful voice caught us before Caides or I could knock.

"Come in, come in, dearies!"

I smiled, kicking my boots in a puddle before I pushed the oak door open enough for Caides and I to slip inside. A small staircase of hewn stone took us down a meter or so, curving to the right as we went. Warmth and the smell of good cooking wafted up, drawing us onward.

"Now aren't you two a sight for sore eyes!" Katrina beamed as she watched us take seats at the hewn table filling most of the room. Busy cooking at a pot on the stove Katarina pointed her wooden spoon at the wall by the staircase, a series of coathooks hanging on the stone wall. "Set your cloaks up there and I'll get them dry by the fire, love." I stood, taking care with Caides' jacket before hanging my traveling cloak next to it.

"No need with my jacket, ma'am." Caides helped me sit down next to him, a kiss on the cheek following a pat on the bench. I held my arm out and he obliged, undoing the bracer straps one at a time. He spoke while he doffed me. "It has oil for heavy weather."

"Now don't you be thinking you can avoid some Riverside hospitality, Mister Lord Sentinel."

"No one knows that we've left Prominence, m'lady." I bent my head to give Caides access to my helm now that my arms were free from armor.

A hand shot up from Katrina to cover her own mouth in surprise. "Oh! I didn't mean to offend!"

"It's alright mother." Sophia's voice marked her arrival, the young ranger pushing open the only other door to the common room. "You couldn't have known."

"Few do." Caides shook his head, spraying droplets everywhere. I barely had time to look away and avoid water in my eyes.

"Caides!"

"Sorry." He leaned in close, eyes dark and glittering. Golds and greens that drew me in and won me over. He used his undershirt to clean my face; another kiss sealed the apology. "I don't like being wet."

"Maybe if you had brought a cloak," Sophia and I chided at the same time.

Caides looked at Katarina before busying himself with my chestplate.

"I didn't say anything!" Katarina wiped her hands on her apron, clearly enthused by our banter. Fetching a few loaves of warm bread from the mantle and carrying the warm pot of stew she decked the table. "And I won't say anything about two boys sneaking out from home. Now come sit," she ordered, pointing to the food at the her end of the table.

"They're full-grown men, mother." Sophia sighed as she helped her mother move the heavy pot full of stew.

"Shouldn't be another blink, ma'am." Caides removed the last of my armor and stacked it to the side and neatly underneath our cloaks. I rubbed my underclothes, glad to be free of the hard covering, and stood to move. Caides meanwhile had to be "coerced", only following when I pulled his hand behind me.

"Is there… danger on the roads?"

Caides began to shake his head but caught himself before more water flew everywhere. "No, ma'am," he offered instead, sitting next to me and ripping into a piece of bread. The yeasty goodness quickly filled the room. "We wanted to travel quietly, and Tor needs his armor…"

"If," I elbowed Caides, "if something were to happen, I'd need armor."

"Your shield?" Sophia pointed to the axes and aforementioned shield that sat by our packs and cloaks. "Did you bring a different one?"

"No, that's mine. The seraph's." Ready to eat I bowed my head for a quick prayer, adding, _"and may we see the truth in all things. Let it be so."_ The two women gasped as the illusion magics placed over our axes and my shield faded. Where once a pile of iron and oak sat on the floor, now the white and silver of my shield reflected the torchlight of Katarina's home. But they held no candle to Caides' twin axes. Whereas my weapon matched my shield -- a gleaming silver with simple design -- Caides' twin axes were inlaid with intricate detail: motifs of running wolves and the Livingwood. Where the great tree’s trunk should be wood sprouted from the dark steel axehead as if it grew directly from metal. The leather grip on each axe was the most spartan design choice, supple from years of use and great care on Caides' part.

"We never leave without them," my mate attempted to add, mouth full of food.

"Chew closed, please." Katarina tapped Caides on the shoulder with her spoon as she watched us eat. "I hope my cooking is up to snuff with the cooks there in Prominence."

"Nothing better, Lady Katarina." I smiled mischievously before dipping my bread in the stewpot. A few bits of lamb and potato came back out with it -- and directly into my mouth.

"I mean it!" Katarina ventured a taste of supper with her spoon, blowing lightly to cool off the stew. "Needs more cardamom." She stood up from the table and bustled back to the mantle.

"It's delicious, really, ma'am." Caides spoke in his low and reverberating voice that never failed to fill the entire room.

"And I don't need magic to tell you he speaks the truth." I swallowed then pecked a kiss onto Caides' forehead. "Though it's nice to see Sophia, we don't need any more reason to stop by. You spoil us too much."

"Well you are my boys." Katarina returned to the table to sup, our compliments enough of an argument. "You get bigger every time I see you."

"I say the same to Caides," I joked.

"Hey!"

Sophia laughed. Finished with the stew she pulled a pouch off of her belt and set it on the table. It jingled slightly as she did. "This is what we owe you, for --"

"No, Sophia." Caides had finished his portion of bread and looked at my still-intact chunk of bread. "You said you needed help, and we needed a break from the sanctuary." He rolled his eyes at me as his hands divvied up my loaf between us.

I snatched the bread from my would-be thief and dunked it in the warm stew myself. Properly I scooped a good bite out from the pot and offered it to Caides. "You can be such a beast."

Caides yapped, lurching his head forward to snap up the food in his mouth. He caught one of my fingers in the process, giving it a lick before it slipped free. "Being a beast is part of my role."

"You're going to be the death of me." My mate laid his head on my shoulder, an arm wrapping around my waist. He may bring my death but by the seven was he know how to apologize.

"Sophia, please, keep it." My mate's voice was calmer now, the silliness out of his system and replaced with food. His voice lowered when he added, "You know we have the treasuries open to us."

Sophia’s eyes went wide. Katarina didn't know what to say, and so a pause hung in the air.

I could only shake my head.

Caides erupted into laughter, chest heaving. He tilted his head back, eyes closing as they welled up with tears. "Treasury!" he choked between laughs. It was infectious, drawing up a smile to my face.

"I think between the stronghold and the mount, we're doing alright." I winked at Sophia before giving Katarina my attention. "You know, whenever you would like to visit, please tell me. We don't have to go to the castle or anything. My house is always open to you, and I know the Innsila family would love to meet you."

"Your 'house' is in the middle of the Gold Sea." Caides' sarcasm was light. "And what do you want us to do, run them there?" He chuckled.

"I'm trying to be hospitable. The seraph --"

"The seraph gives unto the needy," Caides finished. He twisted to plant a kiss on my neck. "You know I like to run you around." My sentinel looked back to Katarina. "My mate speaks true: you are always welcome. We can organize everything."

"Thank you boys. Oh, if I could give you a hug." A warm glow had settled into Katarina's creased face.

"Later, when I don't have this pup sleeping on me." That line earned a jab from Caides, though he closed his eyes peacefully on my shoulder.

"Is he sleeping?" Sophia asked after a moment.

"No," Caides responded. "I hear more than I see."

"Oh."

I tapped both hands on the table to signal a change of conversation. "What did you need from us, Sophia?"

"Well, it's not much, I…" Nerves took hold of the young ranger seated across from us.

"Sophia, we snuck away from our work, in the pouring rain, on horseback, to get here." Caides spoke with emphasis, his eyes still closed. I could hear each breath in my ear, his breathing slow and gentle.

"I mean, you didn't --"

"Sophia, we chose to come." I looked around the common room, the largest part of Katarina's home. "We don't get many opportunities to visit. This has been nice, despite what my mate thinks."

Caides snorted.

"And if there's something you think we should see, Caides and I trust your judgement."

Sophia nodded.

"Love, I always tell you: you just need a bit more in here." Katarina tapped her breast then pointed at her daughter's. "Just a bit more heart."

"Mother," Katarina whined.

"Let it be so," I invoked, my voice soft.

"Let it be so." All around the table echoed in response. Sophia thought for a moment, staring at the pouch on the table.

"I found something similar on a fallen traveler," she began.

"Sophia!"

"Mom, I was patrolling the west roast after the millers saw coyotes." Sophi's confidence had returned to her, filling her voice out. She was passionate about only one thing -- Riverside -- and it showed. "I didn't find any animal tracks but I found an downed traveler. I only looked at his things to see if it had been an animal attack. I swear."

Caides nodded on my shoulder. "Nothing?"

"Nothing," confirmed Sophia. "He barely had rations on him as well. Just sachet, his coin, and a walking staff. I buried it all with him. Save the bag." 

"Even the staff?"

"Yes. I used it to mark the plot, if it still stands.” Sophia reached back under her dress, pulling out a similar-looking satchel held tight with twine.

**Author's Note:**

> Spoiler:
> 
> (Whatever is in the bag is cursed/bag magic. Man is a necromancer/warlock/etc)


End file.
